Ahead of October 19 local government elections in Kogi state, a chairmanship candidate, Hon. Musa Olumayowa Yakubu, has promised to focused on opening up new opportunities in Ijumu LGA.
Hon Musa, the candidate of Action Alliance (AA), said his administration will develop and implement a robust ‘Ijumu Land Swap’ initiative that will engineer pro-people infrastructural development in the local government.
He explained that the land swap initiative will involve engaging the private sector to provide infrastructure in exchange for land.
Musa, a realtor, said with huge infrastructure deficits in Ijumu land, his administration will explore the Nigerian Land Use Act for the proposed land-for-infrastructure-swap initiative in which the private sector will be granted land in exchange for the provision of specified public infrastructure.
He said the initiative, inspired by the National Policy on Public-Private Partnership (PPP), will adhere to global best practices and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Act.
The chairmanship candidate said the pilot project for the initiative will be Iluagba, the host community for Mangal Cement factory.
“Take a look at Dangot Cement Factory in Obajana, though the massive venture has changed the economic outlook of the host community, the full potentials are still untapped. About 70 percent of the the factory staff resides outside the area, they largely live in Lokoja. This leads to some degree of capital flight from the host community. Same will be the fate of Iluagba and its environ if we are not proactive.
“With our land swap initiative, we will lease lands in exchange for critical infrastructures that will make the host community benefit maximally from the factory located in their land.
“We will also explore rolling out same initiative in other viable communities while making conscious efforts to develop new and modern districts within our local government,” he said.
Musa promised to utilize the abundant resources in Ijumu LGA for the benefit of the people and communities.
He appealed to the electorate to vote enmass for Action Alliance on October 19 to guarantee a better future for the local government.
